As progress has been made in the reduction of size and weight, or functionality of portable electronic devices such as a portable telephone, a notebook computer, and portable audio-visual equipment, a smaller size and a higher power have been required for batteries which serve as their power sources, and lithium primary batteries and lithium ion rechargeable batteries have come into increasing use as batteries capable of meeting the requirement. Moreover, the power source of cameras is progressively altered from alkaline batteries, which have been used for the power source, to lithium primary batteries with progress in the electronic control of the cameras.
These lithium primary batteries and lithium ion rechargeable batteries have a higher energy density and a higher output voltage than widely used conventional nickel-cadmium rechargeable batteries and the alkaline batteries, allowing number of batteries used to be decreased, and thus they are suitable for the power source of the portable electronic devices and cameras as described above. However, since organic electrolyte is utilized in these lithium-based batteries, if the batteries catch fire they are burned violently. Such batteries having high energy density and including flammable organic electrolyte are regulated depending on transport means when they are shipped from the manufacturers of the batteries.
For example, there are regulatory actions in international air transport according to TI (Technical Instruction) of ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) and DGR (Dangerous Goods Regulation) of IATA (International Air Transport Association), and the regulatory actions in domestic air transport according to Aviation Law. Also, in ship transport, there are regulatory actions in international ship transport according to IMDGC (International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code) of IMO (International Maritime Organization) and SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) agreement, and the regulatory actions in domestic ship transport according to Law for Safety of Vessels and Dangerous Goods Regulation.
Committee of Experts of Dangerous Goods established in Economic and Social Council of United Nations designates lithium batteries, gunpowder, gasoline, and radioactive materials as the dangerous goods, and set strict terms for the international transport of them. United Nations Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods Recommendation (UN recommendation) designates the comparatively large lithium batteries, in which metal lithium is 5 g or more in a cell or 25 g or more in a battery pack, as the dangerous goods of Class 9, and required a package container of the Dangerous Goods Container Grade II for transport of the batteries. In addition, the dangerous goods involving the Container Grade II is obliged to be examined for packing, and prohibited from being transported unless it passes on the examination.
On the other hand, according to the Special Clause SP188 of UN Recommendation issued in 1998, lithium primary batteries using metal lithium, in case metal lithium or lithium alloy is 1 g or lower in a cell or 2 g or lower in a battery pack, they are excluded from the designation of the dangerous goods because lithium content is low and potential danger is minor.
In UN Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous goods in December of 1998, lithium ion rechargeable batteries also became a control subject. However, the lithium ion rechargeable batteries don't include metal lithium and are regarded to be less dangerous than the lithium primary battery, so the batteries in which the lithium content in terms of metal lithium is 1.5 g or lower in a cell or 8 g or lower in a battery pack are excluded from the designation of the dangerous goods.
Today, for the lithium primary batteries and the lithium ion rechargeable batteries excluded from the designation of the dangerous goods in the UN Recommendation, there is no agreement on the transport conditions such as the designation of the internationally unified package container, and the battery manufacturers and transport agents appropriately pack the batteries in their original style and transport them.
However, even if excluded from the scope of the UN Recommendation, in cases where the lithium primary batteries and the lithium ion rechargeable batteries are transported by air, “Package Regulated on Actions for Preventing Short Circuit of Batteries and Pack into Robust Exterior Containers” in ICAO/IATA Code A45 must be conformed.
This “Package Regulated on Actions for Preventing Short Circuit of Batteries and Pack into Robust Exterior Containers” is much abstract expression, and thus decision is left to the battery manufacturers and the transport agents. However, hereafter, manufacturers and transport agents, who have short experience in production and shipment, will probably entry in the production and transport of the lithium primary batteries and the lithium ion rechargeable batteries. Consequently, a certain framework concerning performance of the package container for transport is desired to be made. Regarding the transport of batteries using flammable organic electrolyte such as the lithium primary batteries and the lithium ion rechargeable batteries, safe transport must be secured still more for a solid development of the industrial world including battery manufacturers, makers of equipment using batteries, and service companies.
An object of the present invention is to provide a package container for transporting the lithium primary batteries and the lithium ion rechargeable batteries which are small and excluded from the scope, and not regulated clearly by Codes as described above, the container which passes on the examination of the Container Grade II applicable to the dangerous goods of Class 9 in the UN Recommendation described above, and satisfies the requirements of ICAO/IATA Code A45.